The Islamic State jihadist group is using the northern Iraqi town of Tel Kaif's main church as its military headquarters, local broadcaster Rudaw reported on its website on Monday.
IS is training its child recruits or so-called 'Cubs of the Caliphate' at the Sacred Heart church which is now called ‘Abu-Talha Al-Ansari,’ Rudaw said, citing local eyewitnesses.
IS chose the church as its military HQ, as it knew coalition warplanes would not bomb the building, and has been bringing children there secretly from its beleaguered capital of Mosul, according to the eyewitnesses.
“They were taking kids to mosque to pledge allegiance to the caliphate. Then they brought them to this church for training, before taking them to the battlefield," Rudaw quoted a Tel Kaif resident as saying.
"Most of the trainees were kids, claiming that they were going to heaven,” the resident added.
